We spent the morning visiting the Tower of London. This of course is the most famous of the city’s attractions. In recognition of England’s WW I losses, the moat around the Tower is being filled with ceramic poppies, and this has been a big hit with people in the city. Our guide emphasized that the Tower was not built for defense from foreign invaders but from locals, including (especially?) Londoners. We explored many of the different structures in the tower; naturally this included the ‘vault’ where the crown jewels are stored and displayed.

After lunch at the cafe in the Tower, we next took a boat ride down the Thames from the Tower to Westminster. Here we walked past the parliament buildings, the Elizabeth Tower with its clock and Big Ben, and arrived at Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most important buildings in London. It is the site of the coronation of kings and queens and also many of their tombs. Numerous other notables are also buried or memorialized there such as Isaac Newton and Charles Dickens. Many will recall that the funeral service for Princess Diana was held at the Abbey. Unfortunately no photographs are allowed inside.

We then walked across the Thames and took a ride on the London Eye. Following this we coached to The George, one of the oldest pubs in the city. The large courtyard was absolutely packed with young Londoners enjoying a beer and the beautiful weather at the pub. After a very good dinner we made our way back to the hotel for another well-deserved rest.